That was the message Thursday in a government report that the number of people filing first-time claims for unemployment benefits rose unexpectedly last week.

The economy has lost 8.4 million jobs since the recession began in December 2007.

The figures were collected as the government also was gathering information for the February report on the unemployment rate.

Some analysts said the latest figures are a cautionary signal.

“At least for the moment, the trend in layoffs seems at best to have leveled off – and perhaps to have begun a renewed increase,” Pierre Ellis, an economist at Decision Economics, wrote in a research note.

Join the Conversation

We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. Although we do not pre-screen comments, we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.

If you see comments that you find offensive, please use the “Flag as Inappropriate” feature by hovering over the right side of the post, and pulling down on the arrow that appears. Or, contact our editors by emailing moderator@scng.com.